Flashlight



Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT tion ofNew York Application March 31, 1938, Serial No. 199,104

3 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlights and more especially to an improvedflashlight for industrial uses where a flashlight is subjected to roughusage. I

An object of this invention is a flashlight which is substantiallyindestructible, has no exposed metal parts and may easily bedisassembled for cleaning purposes.

In a flashlight embodying the invention, the casing consists of atubular member composed of laminated Bakelite with an interposed stripof linen or other suitable fabric. This member is internally threaded atits ends to receive the exteriorly threaded boss of a cap of moldedBakelite and the exteriorly threaded boss of a head composed of thesamematerial. In the head, a bulb is supported by shock-absorbing meansand there is also provided the usual reflector and a lens ofshatter-proof glass. All the metallic members constituting the circuitconnections between the battery and bulbare contained within the casingand a switch button of Bakelite slidably mounted on the casing isconnected to the switch by which the lamp circuit is controlled. Byreason of the fact that no metal parts are exposed, the flashlight maybe used around any sort of electrical equipment without damage ofshort-circuiting or grounding such equipment and the casing, togetherwith the head and cap will withstand the hardest usage withoutappreciable wear and further will withstand the application of heavyloads without yielding.

In addition, the flashlight may be dropped from a considerable heightwithout damage thereto or injury to the bulb.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flashlight embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

The casing [0 which as previously pointed out is composed of dielectricmaterial constitutes a tube provided with interior threads II and I2 atits ends, the exterior periphery preferably being of polygonal contour.A cap I3 has an exteriorly threaded boss I4 which is screwed into thethreads II while a head I5 has an exteriorly threaded boss I6 which isscrewed into the threads I2. Both the cap I3 and the head I5 arecomposed of dielectric material such, for example, as molded Bakelite. Ametal sleeve I1 is arranged near the cap end of the tube It but has itsouter edge spaced a substantial distance from the end of the tube. Thesleeve is provided with an offset portion I8 in which is snugly butslidably received the end of a metal strip I9, extending nearly to theopposite end of the tube It]. The metal strip 89 is provided with anoffset loop 20 which extends through a slot 2| in the tube It and into abutton 22 composed of dielectric material, such as molded Bakelite. Ascrew 23 is mounted in the button 22 and extends through the loop 20 toattach the button to the strip I9, the screw 23 being completelycontained within the button 22.

The head I5 is provided with a recess in which is arranged the reflector24 having a central aperture large enough to permit the passage of thebulb laterto be referred to, and a lens 25 preferably of shatter-proofglass. The reflector 24 is provided with a flange which lies above ashoulder formed in the head I5 and the lens 25 rests upon the edge ofthe reflector and is held in place by a snap ring 26 having a sheath ofinsulating material. The boss I3 of the head I5 is interiorly threadedto receive an exteriorly threaded metal casing 21 which has a smalldiameter threaded extension 28 in which is screwed the bulb 29 whichextends through the aperture in the reflector 24. The casing 21 isclosed by an insulating disk 30, to the inner face of which, is riveteda metal resilient member 3| having a portion adapted to be engaged bythe center contact of the lamp 29. The rivet 32 also constitutes acontact for engagement with the center terminal of the battery. Oppositethe insulating disk 30 is another insulating disk 34 which engages theinner surface of the casingZ'I and has an aperture through which thecenter contact of the lamp 29 projects. Between the disks 30 and 34 isarranged a tube 35 of insulating material. In assembling this unit, thedisk 34 is first placed in the casing 27, after which the tube 35 isintroduced and finally the disk 30 with the member 3| attached isinserted and brought into contact with the tube 35, after which the edgeof the casing 21 is spun over the disk 30 to lock the various elementsin assembled relation. The boss I4 of the cap I3 is recessed to receivea metal disk 36 having arms 31 extending longitudinally of the casingand beingarranged in recesses cut out of the boss. This plate is held inposition by a spiral spring 38, the bottom co-il of which snaps into agroove in the boss and acts as a lock ring. The inner ends of the arms31 engage the outer edge of the sleeve I! when the cap is screwed intothe tube I0. To the bottom face of the plate 36 is attached a clip 39which supports an extra bulb 29a.

Fig. 2 shows the switch in open circuit position. In order to light thebulb 29, the button 22 is moved to bring the upper end of the metalstrip I9 into engagement with the casing 2'! as is indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2. A circuit is then closed from the upper terminals ofthe battery B through rivet 32, metal member 3!, inner terminal of bulb29, filament of bulb 29, outer terminal of bulb 29, casing 21, strip 19,sleeve l1, arms 31, plate 36 and spring 38 to the cup of the battery B.

Should it become desirable to clean the interior of the tube It, theswitch strip I9 may be removed from the casing by taking out the screw29, thus disconnecting the switch button 22 and making it possible tobend in the strip 19 sufficiently to withdraw it through the open end ofthe casing.

In preparing the flashlight for use, the bulb 29 is screwed into theextension 28 with the casing 2;? removed from the head l5. The casing 21is then threaded into the boss it, thus passing the bulb 29 through theaperture in the reflector and into the focus of the reflector.Replacement of a burned out bulb is efiected by similar procedure.

This flashlight may be used .around electrical equipment without fear ofproducing short circuits because of the fact that there are no exposedmetal parts. Furthermore, by reason of the use of shatter-proof glassand the supporting structure for the bulb, the flashlight may besubjected to very rough handling even without incapacitating it.Furthermore, the application of severe strains or stresses to the casingwill not injure it or cause .any distortion because of the greatinherent strength of the material of which the flashlight casing iscomposed.

We claim:

1. A flashlight comprising a tubular casing of dielectic material, .acap of dielectric material having a boss threaded into one end of saidcasing, a head of dielectric material having a boss threaded into theother end of said casing, a metal sleeve in said casing adjacent the capend thereof and having an inwardly ofiset portion, a metal strip havingone end projecting into said offset portion and having an offset portionprojecting through a slot in the casing, a button of dielectric materialsurrounding and attached to said portion, a metal casing threaded intosaid head boss and being engageable by said metal strip in one positionthereof, said casing being closed at one end by an insulating disk and.at its other end having a portion of reduced diameter constituting abulb socket, a contact member carried by said disk in position to beengaged by a bulb in said socket and having a portion projecting throughsaid disk, a metal disk mounted in said cap and having portionsengageable with said sleeve, and a spring associated with said metaldisk for engagement with one end of a battery in said casing.

2. A flashlight according to claim 1 in which said head contains areflector, a lens of shatterproof glass engaging the edge of saidreflector and a dielectric coated snap ring locking said lens .andreflector in said head.

3. A flashlight according to claim 1 in which said contact member isU-shaped with one leg engaging said disk and the other leg underlyingthe inner portion of said bulb socket.

ABRAHAM I. BARASH. ANTHONY J. DESIMONE.

